56 Most Inspirational Songs of All Time

“Hi Celes, thank you for this post on movies. A great way to discover great inspirational movies. If I may request, can we have a post for list of most inspiring songs?” ~ Rajesh G

You may have experienced this before: you feel down or frustrated about something. You catch a tune from the radio and you start to sing along. Somehow, after listening and singing, you feel energized and perked up, ready to go again.

Music is the language of the soul. No matter what culture you are from or the language that you speak, music is something that can be understood and enjoyed by all of us.

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Today’s post is on inspirational songs: songs that motivate us into action, that remind us about the beauty of life, that remind us of our true worth and potential, and that lift us up when we’re down.

In writing this post, I listened to over hundreds of songs and handpicked 56 songs. Because there are so many great songs out there, it’s impossible for me to include every single one. Instead, I picked each song based on these criteria: (1) it has had some level of mainstream success, (2) it speaks of a theme that most of us can relate to, and (3) it conveys a positive message. I have deliberately avoided songs that sound catchy but don’t actually convey anything meaningful (like telling you to hate on an ex or putting down other people). I’ve also limited the number of songs per artist to a maximum of 1–2 (with the exception of Christina Aguilera who has 3) to have a wider representation of artists.

The 56 inspirational songs have been grouped into the following categories:

Are you ready? 🙂 Increase your volume and put on your headphones before you continue on! 😀 Bookmark this page so that you can return to play these songs whenever you like, be it as background music or as a pick-me-up. This post has embedded videos which are not viewable via email. If you’re reading this via your email client, read the full blog post here.

Here are 56 of the most inspirational songs of all time:

Songs on Being Positive

1. Somewhere Over The Rainbow

An all-time classic, “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” speaks of this magical place over the rainbow where things will be better. It refers to this other place that is better compared to where we are now. If you are feeling down and out, and when things seem tough, this song will lift you up. Just remember that the better place isn’t “somewhere out there,” but here where we are. It’s up to us to make the best out of what we have, now. 🙂

The song was originally sung by Judy Garland in 1939 (Wizard of Oz) and has since been covered by many people. The version below is by Israel Kamakawiwo’Ole. His soothing vocals makes listening to this song a very peaceful and calming experience.

2. Walking On Sunshine

If you’re looking for a very happy song, look no further. 🙂 “Walking On Sunshine” is a very upbeat song that will instantly bring a smile to anyone listening! 🙂 It was Katrina and the Waves’ first U.S. top 40 hit, and their biggest success in the United Kingdom until “Love Shine a Light” (1997). Believe it or not, the song was initially conceived of as a ballad, though Katrina decided to belt it out.[1] Given the success, I say it was a fantastic decision! 🙂

3. It’s a Beautiful Day

4. What a Wonderful World

First recorded by Louis Armstrong and released in 1967 as a single, “What a Wonderful World” reminds us to appreciate the beauty of everyday life. According to its Wikipedia page, the song was “intended as an antidote for the increasingly racially and politically charged climate of everyday life in the United States.”[2]

Do you tend to complain about things or show gratitude for what you have? Let’s appreciate and give gratitude to all that we have with us today. 🙂 Check out: 14-Day Gratitude Challenge

5. Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head

I first heard this song when watching Spiderman 2 (the old one with Tobey Maguire), which is my favorite spiderman movie of all time. This is a very sweet, positive song about staying positive even when “raindrops keep fallin’ on [your] head.” Because, as the song goes, “I’m never gonna stop the rain by complaining.” When you’re free in your mind, nothing will worry you.

6. Always Look on the Bright Side of Life

This is a comedy song written for Monty Python’s Life of Brian, a religious satire comedy, and it has since become a common singalong at public events, including even funerals! The song tells us to look on the bright side of life, because no matter what happens, there is one certain thing that’ll happen to us all, which is death. So why not look on the bright side and make the best out of our time here?